Meghan MarkleandPrince Harry’s children’s titles are now reflected on the royal family’s website.
The palace updated the royal family’sofficial websiteearly Thursday to reflect Prince Archie Harrison andPrincess Lilibet Diana’s titles. They were previously styled as “Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor” and “Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor.”
Upon the death ofQueen Elizabethin September, Harry’s father becameKing Charles— and as grandchildren of the monarch, 3-year-old Archie and 1-year-old Liliwere afforded the titles of prince and princess.
“The children’s titles have been a birthright since their grandfather became monarch,” a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told PEOPLE. “This matter has been settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace.”
Prince Harry, 38, and Meghan, 41, first referred to theirchildren’s royal titleswhile confirming the news of their daughter’sMarch 3 christeningin California.
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet did not receive the titles when they were born because they were great-grandchildren of the monarch.
However, their cousins —Prince WilliamandKate Middleton’s three childrenPrince George,Princess CharlotteandPrince Louis— did get the titles as the children of the eldest son of the (now former) Prince of Wales.
The Royal Household
WhenPrince Harryand Meghan were married in May 2018,Queen Elizabethgave them the titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Archie was entitled to the “courtesy title” of Earl of Dumbarton upon his birth, but the couple did not give him a courtesy title at that time. Down the line, Archie could be given the secondary Sussex title before inheriting the dukedom.
The royal family’s website took nearly five weeks to add Princess Beatrice’s daughter Sienna Elizabethto the line of successionafter her birth in September 2021. Royal.UK tookjust seven weeksto add Meghan and Harry’s daughter Lili to the list after her birth in June 2021. WhenPrincess Eugeniewelcomed her sonAugustin February 2021, the website did not add him for nearly two months.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.Karwai Tang/WireImage
Some members of the royal family have turned down titles for their children.Queen Elizabeth’s only daughter, Princess Anne, refused titles for her two children, Peter and Zara. “Zara always says she’s so pleased she wasn’t given a title,” Phil Tindall, the father of her husband, Mike Tindall, previously told theSunday Times, adding that the lack of a title has enabled Zara and brother “to live their own lives.”
Similarly, Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex opted not to use prince and princess titles for their children, Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn.
“We try to bring them up with the understanding they are very likely to have to work for a living,“Sophie told theTimes of Londonabout their decision to not use “His/Her Royal Highness” titles for Louise and James. “Hence, we made the decision not to use HRH titles. They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it’s highly unlikely.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.Michael M. Santiago/Getty
Can’t get enough ofPEOPLE’s Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates onKate Middleton,Meghan Markleand more!
Although Meghan andPrince Harryhave largely kept their children out of the public eye, they shared severalpersonal photosand video clips featuringArchie and Liliin their Netflix showHarry & Meghan, which premiered in December on the streaming service.
source: people.com
